FR2565900A1 - COMPOSITE STRUCTURE FOR ROTATING ELEMENTS OF AIR PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

COMPOSITE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS FOR FORMING IT, THIS STRUCTURE BEING INTENDED TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF A ROTATING ELEMENT FOR THE TREATMENT OF AIR. THE STRUCTURE 10 INCLUDES A SUBSTRATE 12 HAVING IRREGULAR SURFACE CONTOURS AND A COATING OF AN ABSORBENT COMPOSITION 14 COVERING THE SUBSTRATE.

Description

Composite structure for rotary elements

  of air treatment apparatus and method of forming

said structure.

  The invention relates to a composite structure

  intended for use in the manufacture of a

  rotating system for the treatment of air and a process

to form this structure.

  Rotary elements for use in air handling apparatus are well known. When the air handler only requires a heat exchange device, the rotating member is generally formed of a thin metal base, such as aluminum foil, in

  a honeycomb structure to confer La -

  rigidity to the structure obtained. When it is desired to dry or otherwise regulate the humidity of the air passing through the rotary member, the aluminum base may be coated with an adsorbent composition, such as

  silica gel, alumina, aluminum hydroxide

  minium, etc ... that adsorbs moisture from the air.

  One of the problems with adsorbent-coated rotating elements is that they are often

  inefficient when used at humid

  in the sense that a condensate is formed in

  the rotary element; condensate tends to trap the dust

  of air, resulting in the clogging of

the rotating element.

  Theoretically, it is possible to improve

  the effectiveness of the rotating element by increasing the thickness

  the adsorbent coating, but this measure tends to increase the static loss of air flowing through the rotating member. In addition, as the thickness of the adsorbent coating increases, it exhibits a greater tendency to detach from the base or substrate material, and to plug

thus the rotating element.

  The present invention solves the aforementioned problems posed by known adsorbent coated rotary elements without any adverse effect on the static loss properties of the rotating member. In addition and surprisingly,

  resistance properties of the coated structure of ad-

  sorbent are improved by the present invention,

  saving money because

  Thinner substrate material can be used.

  The present invention provides a composite structure for use in the manufacture of a rotary member for air handling apparatus, comprising: an embossed substrate defining uneven surface contours and capable of receiving an adherent coating of a composition adsorbent;

  and a coating of an adsorbent composition coated

  the substrate, the coating conforming to the irregular surface contours of the substrate. The substrate is preferably an aluminum foil and the composition

adsorbent is silica gel.

  The present invention also provides a method of forming a composite structure for use in the manufacture of a rotary member for air handling apparatuses comprising the steps of embossing a substrate to provide the substrate with contours. irregular surface, and deposit on

  the substrate of an adsorbent composition.

  30. Other details and advantages of this

  invention will appear on reading the description

  Detailed description below and the accompanying drawings, in which: - The figure is an enlarged section of the structure

composite of the invention.

  In the drawings, The compositional structure

  is formed from a flat piece of material

  substrate 12 composed of substances either

  niques, or minerals. The substrate 12 is preferably an aluminum foil. The aluminum foil substrate 12 is first subjected to an embossing operation

  well known, by which impressions are systematically

  formed in the surface by stamping, to form the irregular surface contours represented

  by the figure. After the embossing operation, the

  the specific surface of the substrate 12 is surrounded by

20 to 30%.

  The embossed substrate is then coated with an absorbent composition 14, such as silica gel,

  by any well-known deposition technique.

  As the specific surface of the substrate 12 is increased

  the embossing operation, the thickness of the coating

  adsorbent 12 can be adjusted to a specific value

  while retaining an effective amount of ad-

  sorbent. Thus, the composite structure obtained does not increase

  not the static loss of air flowing through a honeycomb structure formed from

of the composite of the invention.

  It has been found, surprisingly, that the compressive strength in the direction of air flowing through a honeycomb element made from a 30 micron thick piece of the structure of the present invention is equivalent to that of a flat adsorbent coated structure of 40 microns thick. This increase in strength therefore makes it possible to use aluminum foils more

  thin, with the corresponding savings.

  A rotating member formed of the composite structure of the present invention can increase the amount of adsorbent coating as compared to planar coated structures while maintaining adhesion of the adsorbent to the irregularly shaped surface, thereby increasing the efficiency of the coating. latent heat of the rotating element without increasing

  the static loss of the flow of air passing through the element.

Claims (4)

  1. Composite structure (10) for use with   in the manufacture of a rotary member for an air handler, comprising:   - a substrate (12) caufure defining the contours of sur-   an irregular face and capable of receiving an adherent coating of an absorbent composition (14); and   a coating of an absorbent composition coated   this substrate, this coating conforming to the   irregular surface contours of this substrate.   2. Structure according to revendicatcion 1, wherein this substrate is an aluminum foil   and this absorbent composition is a silica gel.   A method of forming a composite structure for use in manufacturing a rotary member for an air handler, comprising the steps of: embossing a substrate to provide uneven surface contours to the substrate ; and   deposit on this substrate an adhesive coating absorbent composition.   4. The process of claim 3, wherein said substrate is aluminum foil and   this absorbent composition is a silica gel.